Miki Ando news | Golden Skate

Miki Ando news

SerpentineSteps

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
I just thought I'd start a thread on Miki, since Yuna, Mao, and Laura seem to have one.
(Didn't add it to the International speculation one, since this is a piece of news and not speculation).

Here's a short news clip on a public practice that Miki had.

A rough translation of what was said:
- Due to a record-breaking heat-wave in Russia, Ando has been practicing in Latvia as of a month ago.
- Citing "challenge" as this season's theme, her new program focuses on her strong jumps rather than expression.
- Especially the free has 5 jumping [passes*], a somewhat unusual layout.
- Ando will have her first event on October 2nd.
- Ando said, "Since this isn't an Olympic season, I want to relax and show my supporters the skating that I enjoy".
[*I added "passes", since having 5 individual jumps in the second half doesn't seem out of the ordinary]

A few thoughts:

1) Judging from whether her choreography matches the music in the background, do you think this is her program music, or another skater's? If the former, can anybody identify it?

2) Especially with the new UR rules, I'm pretty sure "focusing on jumps" refers to getting her 3-3 back, but do you think this also includes her quad?
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
I know Miki still does 3lz-3o in practice, so she is definitely capable of landing it, she just left it out most of last season because there was no gain on doing a 3lz-3lo< vs a 3lz-2lo. Now she can gain points by doing the 3lo even if it is UR, so I assume she will go for it. As for the quad, a UR 4sal will still be worth a lot of points, and if she intends to leave the 3f out of her LP this season like she did last season, if she can get the landing of her 4sal consistent and manage to not UR it more than 1/2 a revolution, then I wouldn't be surprised if she put it in her program.
 

MikiAndoFan#1

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 30, 2009
Thanks for starting this thread, SerpentineSteps!

:)

With the new rules, Miki will definately bring her 3Lz+3Lo back.

:rock:

The music playing is Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 by Edvard Grieg, and it looked like it was Miki skating to it.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Thanks for starting this thread, SerpentineSteps!

:)

With the new rules, Miki will definately bring her 3Lz+3Lo back.

:rock:

The music playing is Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 by Edvard Grieg, and it looked like it was Miki skating to it.




that probably is her music. it suits her, especially if she wants to do a program that is all about the jumps
 

SerpentineSteps

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
that probably is her music. it suits her, especially if she wants to do a program that is all about the jumps

I agree. With the exception of Carmen at Nationals in 07/08, the programs that showcased her power were the programs that "worked" the best (Violin Concerto in 06/07, Organ Symphony in 08/09).
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
True. Hopefully she'll have something more subtle like this one for her SP, and the powerful concerto for her FS!

Agreed. I hope she also tones her costumes down a notch. I don't see why anyone with a body as great as Miki's would want to hide it under overly fluffy, busy costumes. To me, her skating looks most impressive when she's wearing black pants that show off her lines and great air positions in jumps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2ZkVS4MGnc

Her jumps look great here, and so does she! So athletic and slender, I'm jealous
 

sorcerer

Final Flight
Joined
May 1, 2007
.... go back to Expressive Ando!! .... Her best programs during 2006 with Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (SP) and My Funny Valentine (LP) ....

"Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" is certainly one of her best programs, but to be fair Miki is much more expressive in a mature way nowadays, f'rinstance in her recent exhibition programs such as Bolero, Requiem(EX), Aranjuez Mon Amour, or Why Do People Fall in Love, to name a few.

If you are writing her off without having seen these, then there's a slight chance that you are caught in prejudice.

In her competitive programs too Miki is often "expressive" in its occidental sense of the word, such as Carmen in Nats 08 or Worlds FS 09 and 10.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
"Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" is certainly one of her best programs, but to be fair Miki is much more expressive in a mature way nowadays, f'rinstance in her recent exhibition programs such as Bolero, Requiem(EX), Aranjuez Mon Amour, or Why Do People Fall in Love, to name a few.

Wishing Miki a great new season and lots of success.
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
Her best programs during 2006 with Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (SP) and My Funny Valentine (LP).

My Funny Valentine wasn't very good. It was totally monotone. I think "Firebird" is her best LP by far (definitely Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence for the SP, though).


Awful program. The last part of the flying sit spin looks like crap because she loses speed trying to hold it out for at least 8 revolutions to gain a level, the combination spin is boring, there are no transitional movements or moves in the field or even any choreography...look at how she pointlessly stands around posing after the first spin and then just wastes time between the double axel and the footwork sequence (and, hello, you don't have to do a spiral sequence anymore...you have room to add actual choreography in now). And OH GOD, that footwork sequence - it uses up 50 seconds of the program - that's 1/3 of the running time of the program for one technical element. It's clear that instead of doing a spiral sequence they just made the footwork take up even more time to compensate.

Also, this program both goes over the time limit and has lyrics. This can't be what she's going to compete with this season, unless the lyrics are taken out and the program is shortened by 5 seconds.
 

sorcerer

Final Flight
Joined
May 1, 2007
Well then, do you guys want f'rinstance this one for her competitive program?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxpfAY4_xOA

Though this is one of her three new exhibition programs : "Why Do People Fall in Love".
I love the other one too, "Aranjuez Mon Amour". And her "Comin' Home Baby" is really cute too.

Miki's new SP is not stereotypical so I'd expect those who prefer programs of conventional aesthetics tend to hate this type of music. But her same performance at the FOI show was really cool, those who went and saw live all say so.

Many (I see it as majority) on Japanese boards evaluate this SP positively as a good try to push her boundaries ahead.
But I do think that this program needs lots of fire in herself to make it reach to the audience.
She must avoid any fatigue loosening the drive in this music.
 

inskate

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
I absolutely loved her new SP. The music was great, the choreo was interesting, the costume was great (I hope she keeps it, or at least uses something similar during the season).
I loved her spins. I thought it was awesome that Miki came up with some creative positions despite not being uber-flexible. And if she slowed down a bit after the position change, so what? The season haven't started yet, and at least Miki made the effort to completely change her spins and make them more creative.

"Why do People Fall in Love" is gorgeous as well. I'm not a big fan of GFB in skating, but Miki's skating made the program interesting. She improved her arm movements and facial expression so much!

I'm not in the "free Miki" camp. She's obviously very happy with her coaching situation, and IMHO she improves a bit every year expression-wise. Under Morozov, she went from a chronically depressed girl who wanted to retire ASAP and openly admitted that she disliked figure skating, to a happy young woman who smiles much more, learns to play to the audience and enjoys skating. I think it's amazing that shye prepared so many programs this year - and each of them is totally different.

Oh, and I hope that whoever takes care of her costumes in the off-season will make her competetive ones as well. Simple, one or two-colored costumes look fantastic on Miki. One thing I was not so fond in her skating were the overly elaborate costumes that distracded from her beautiful face and figure. :)
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Miki looks really slow in the new SP. Probably slower than Caroline Zhang, if that's even possible.

The good news: looks like her 3lz-3lp is back, and it looks almost fully rotated.

The bad news: what a horrible mess of a SP. From the manic arm flailing, to the short shorts. What a mess. :disapp:

Having seen this, I don't think she'll be on the podium at this year Worlds.
 

inskate

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
> Miki looks really slow in the new SP.

? My first impression was that she skated much faster. She covers the ice much faster than before, skates on deeper edges (especially visible in the EX number) and her footwork in the SP is one of the fastest footworks I've seen (in terms of the use of edges, not ice coverage). It didn't cover the ice very quickly, but that was the nature of the step sequence. I enjoyed seeing something different. She enters her jumps with a lot of speed, too - except for the popped flip, but maybe she just felt uncomfortable jumping from under the lights into darkness.
 
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